or Humpty Dumpty Revisited Adapted from Sharon Thomason Classical Definition The hero must be of a high stature for example a member of royalty someone in a lofty position The hero must have a TRAGIC FLAW such as HUBRIS too much pride too much ambition too stubborn too gree ID: 285268
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Slide1
The Tragic Heroor “Humpty Dumpty” Revisited
Adapted from Sharon
ThomasonSlide2
Classical Definition
The hero must be of a high stature, for example, a member of royalty … someone in a lofty position.
The hero must have a TRAGIC FLAW, such as HUBRIS (too much pride), too much ambition, too stubborn, too greedy, etc.
The tragic flaw must cause the hero’s downfall. It’s his/her OWN FAULT.
The downfall (destruction) must be complete.
The audience must learn a lesson from the hero’s downfall, i.e., “I must be careful not to be too ____ like the hero was!!!”Slide3
“Humpty Dumpty”
Written to teach English schoolchildren the meaning of tragedy, the nursery rhyme illustrates the classical definition of a tragic hero.
Let’s take a look at how the familiar old egg fits the definition!Slide4
High Stature; Lofty Position
The hero must be of a high stature, for example, a member of royalty … someone in a lofty position.
Let’s see ….
“Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.”
That’s a lofty position all right!Slide5
Tragic Flaw
If YOU were an egg, would you sit high up on a wall? No? Why not? Why, you’d just be ASKING for trouble, wouldn’t you?
Yet here’s ol’ Humpty, and look how SMUG he is. He’s too arrogant to think anything bad could possibly happen to HIM.
That’s his TRAGIC FLAW. He’s WAY too cocky for his own good!!!Slide6
Downfall
“Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.”
Well, DUH! Eggs are rounded on the bottom; they don’t sit on anything for long!
Humpty was so arrogant (TRAGIC FLAW) he didn’t think that could happen to HIM! It’s HIS OWN FAULT!!!Slide7
Total Destruction
“All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty together again!”
Of COURSE they couldn’t! What happens to an egg when it hits the ground? SPLAT!!!!!Slide8
Lesson Learned
Ah-ha!!! If I’m ever an egg, I will NEVER be ARROGANT enough to think that I could sit way up high on a wall. I’ve learned from Humpty’s story that that’s just ASKING for trouble!!!Slide9
Application to World Lit
Who
are
the tragic
heroes in the readings we have done?
Is it
Han from OTH, one of the
Mirabal
sisters, Victor Frankenstein, The Creature or Macbeth?
Could it be
all of the them / none of them?
See if each meets all of the criteria for the classical definition of a tragic hero.Slide10
Ask Yourself….
What is
HIS / HER
stature or position? Is
he/she
a royal
figure or high ranking person?
What is
HIS/HER
tragic flaw? How do you know?
Does
he/she
cause
his/her
OWN downfall? How?
Is
his/her
downfall or destruction COMPLETE? Why?
Do we learn a lesson from this? What is the lesson?Slide11
Write Your Response
Start with a topic sentence: ___
is
/are (
a)
tragic
hero(es
)
of
World Literature
.
A
nswer
each of the five questions we’ve
examined
for the characters you are examining
Provide evidence from the readings in your argument.
Proofread your writing CAREFULLY
.
Type and turn in to
turnitin.com